Incident, Complaint and Claims Handling Framework

1. Scope and Purpose of this Framework

This Framework governs how ShipSherpa receives, triages, investigates and resolves operational complaints, platform conduct concerns, cargo incidents and associated claims arising in connection with use of the ShipSherpa network.

It applies to issues involving:

  • service quality concerns
  • conduct complaints
  • delivery disputes
  • ETA disputes
  • proof-of-delivery disputes
  • shortage allegations
  • cargo damage
  • contamination
  • theft allegations
  • misdelivery
  • refusal disputes
  • site damage
  • property damage
  • insurer-facing incidents
  • fraud indicators
  • account conduct investigations

This Framework forms part of ShipSherpa's wider legal and operational structure and applies across customer bookings, driver activity, fleet operations, enterprise workflows and API-originated movements unless expressly displaced by a negotiated enterprise process.

2. Distinction Between Complaint, Incident and Claim

For the purposes of this Framework, ShipSherpa may treat matters differently depending on their nature.

A Complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about service, behaviour, communication, delay, platform conduct, pricing application, waiting charges, access issues or operational experience.

An Incident is any operational event that may give rise to safety concern, route failure, damage, loss, theft, refusal, site issue, fraud concern or insurer notification.

A Claim is a request for financial recovery, compensation, reimbursement, charge reversal or insurer referral arising from an alleged loss event.

ShipSherpa may reclassify a matter if, after review, it is more properly treated as an Incident or Claim rather than a Complaint.

3. Role of ShipSherpa in Resolution

ShipSherpa acts primarily as the platform coordination, evidence-preservation and dispute-management layer within the logistics network.

Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, ShipSherpa does not hold itself out as the physical carrier responsible in all cases for transport performance, cargo custody or delivery execution.

Its role may include:

  • gathering operational evidence
  • obtaining statements
  • assessing account conduct
  • determining platform-side credits or reversals
  • deciding whether insurer routing is appropriate
  • preserving digital evidence
  • applying platform governance outcomes
  • coordinating with drivers, fleets, enterprise teams, insurers or other relevant parties

ShipSherpa will assess matters impartially based on available evidence and will not assume fault solely because a complaint has been raised.

4. When and How Matters Must Be Reported

Any user becoming aware of a matter that may require investigation should notify ShipSherpa as soon as reasonably possible.

Reports should be submitted through the applicable support, complaints or claims channel and should, where available, include:

  • account name or email
  • booking or route reference
  • collection and delivery location details
  • stop address for multi-drop matters
  • clear narrative of what is said to have occurred
  • photographs, screenshots, POD or route evidence
  • contact details for follow-up
  • any immediate safety, theft or contamination concern

Prompt reporting is important because transport evidence, GPS records, site CCTV, platform events and witness recollection may deteriorate with time.

5. Reporting Windows and Notification Deadlines

5.1 General service complaints

ShipSherpa strongly encourages Complaints to be raised within 7 calendar days of the relevant event.

5.2 Incident notification

Any Incident involving suspected cargo loss, damage, theft, site damage, refusal, suspicious goods or serious dispute should be reported immediately on discovery.

5.3 Formal claim notice

Any Claim for loss, damage, shortage, theft or property impact should be submitted no later than 7 calendar days from delivery, failed delivery or discovery, whichever occurs first.

5.4 Supporting evidence deadline

Any valuation material, repair estimates, packaging evidence, police references or further supporting documentation should ordinarily be supplied within 14 calendar days of the formal claim notice.

Failure to meet these deadlines may prejudice investigation quality and may result in rejection where evidence has been lost, compromised or unreasonably delayed.

6. Initial Triage and Evidence Preservation

On receipt of a reported matter, ShipSherpa may take such immediate internal steps as it reasonably considers necessary to preserve evidence and protect the platform.

This may include:

  • securing GPS and timestamp records
  • preserving POD records
  • retaining platform communications
  • freezing route settlement temporarily
  • flagging the account internally
  • requesting statements
  • preserving uploaded imagery
  • logging route chronology
  • reviewing exception events
  • initiating insurer or legal hold procedures where appropriate

Preservation measures do not imply that fault has been established.

7. Service Complaint Review Process

For non-loss service issues, ShipSherpa may investigate matters including:

  • missed ETA concerns
  • communication failures
  • access disputes
  • waiting-charge disagreements
  • POD concerns
  • professionalism issues
  • tracking complaints
  • delivery experience concerns
  • platform support dissatisfaction

ShipSherpa will review the available operational material, which may include:

  • route history
  • status timestamps
  • GPS events
  • call or message records
  • dispatch notes
  • photographs
  • customer or driver statements
  • site notes
  • prior account behaviour where relevant

ShipSherpa may seek further information where necessary. If requested information is not provided within a reasonable time, the review may be concluded on the basis of the material available.

8. Cargo Loss, Damage, Theft and Property Impact Claims

Claims may arise from alleged:

  • total loss
  • partial loss
  • shortage
  • visible damage
  • concealed damage
  • contamination
  • theft
  • misdelivery
  • handover to the wrong recipient
  • property damage occurring at collection or delivery

Unless expressly agreed in writing to assume a different contractual role, ShipSherpa's default position is that it acts as the technology and coordination layer rather than the physical carrier.

Accordingly, physical transport claims may, where appropriate, be routed to the accepted driver, fleet partner or relevant insurer rather than being assumed directly by ShipSherpa.

9. Heads of Loss Not Generally Accepted

Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing or required by law, ShipSherpa does not accept responsibility for:

  • loss of profit
  • loss of production
  • loss of contract
  • SLA penalties
  • lost sales opportunity
  • reputational loss
  • event failure
  • wasted management time
  • indirect loss
  • consequential loss

Nothing in this section limits any liability which cannot lawfully be excluded.

10. Eligibility Conditions for Claims

A Claim may be reduced, rejected or closed where ShipSherpa reasonably considers that:

  • the goods were inadequately packed
  • labelling was materially inaccurate
  • the declared value was materially misstated
  • the consignment differed materially from the booking description
  • prohibited or restricted goods were moved without prior approval
  • insufficient evidence is provided
  • relevant deadlines were missed
  • the alleged loss arose outside the ShipSherpa transport phase
  • the event was caused by force majeure or external intervention beyond reasonable control

Examples of external events include:

  • severe weather
  • flooding
  • fire
  • serious traffic incidents
  • malicious third-party interference
  • police closures
  • evacuation events
  • site emergencies

11. Evidence Requirements for Financial Claims

A party bringing a Claim must provide such evidence as is reasonably available to support both the occurrence of the alleged event and the amount claimed.

Depending on the nature of the Claim, this may include:

  • photographs or video
  • packaging condition evidence
  • proof of value
  • replacement invoices
  • repair quotations
  • POD records
  • receiving notes
  • route chronology
  • CCTV
  • recipient statements
  • stock discrepancy records
  • contemporaneous site reports

Where physical inspection may be relevant, packaging and damaged goods must be preserved so far as reasonably possible.

Claims lacking sufficient supporting material may be rejected or closed without payment.

12. Theft Allegations

Where theft is alleged, the claiming party must:

  • report the matter to the police without delay
  • obtain a crime reference number
  • provide that reference to ShipSherpa promptly
  • preserve all available supporting evidence

ShipSherpa may decline to process a theft-based Claim without a valid police reference number unless exceptional circumstances make that impossible.

13. Duties of Drivers and Fleet Partners During Incidents

Drivers and fleet partners must notify ShipSherpa immediately upon becoming aware of any actual or potential Incident affecting cargo, site safety, delivery validity or later claims exposure.

This includes:

  • visible damage
  • packaging concerns
  • pre-existing item condition
  • theft suspicion
  • recipient refusal
  • delivery dispute
  • property damage
  • suspicious consignments
  • unsafe loading issues
  • booking misdescription

Drivers and fleet partners should provide such contemporaneous evidence as is reasonably available, including photographs, video, timestamped notes and a written summary of the event.

Failure to report promptly may adversely affect settlement support, insurer position, route payout treatment and overall platform standing.

14. Refusal and Escalation for Unsafe or Misdescribed Consignments

Where a consignment appears unsafe, unlawfully described, materially misdeclared or not fit for carriage, the driver or fleet partner must not proceed blindly.

Collection should be refused and ShipSherpa notified immediately where goods:

  • are not adequately packaged
  • are visibly damaged before loading
  • materially differ from booking description
  • appear prohibited or suspicious
  • exceed declared dimensions or weight
  • create a safety or compliance risk

Failure to escalate these issues promptly may weaken the position of the driver or fleet partner in any later dispute or claim.

15. Response Targets and Ongoing Updates

ShipSherpa aims, but does not guarantee, to:

  • acknowledge reported matters within 48 hours
  • issue an initial case update within 7 calendar days
  • conclude standard complaint reviews within 14 working days where evidence is sufficient and third-party dependencies do not delay completion

More complex matters, including insurer referrals, police-linked incidents, enterprise escalations, fraud reviews or property damage matters, may take longer.

Where an investigation remains live, ShipSherpa will use reasonable efforts to provide progress updates.

16. Investigation Outcomes and Platform Measures

Following review, ShipSherpa may determine that one or more of the following is appropriate:

  • no action
  • case closure with no liability finding
  • route fee adjustment
  • waiting-charge reversal
  • credit note or goodwill credit
  • insurer referral
  • settlement recommendation
  • payout hold or release decision
  • account warning
  • driver or fleet restriction
  • suspension
  • permanent removal from platform access
  • fraud escalation
  • legal escalation

ShipSherpa's platform-governance decision is final for internal marketplace management purposes, without prejudice to any legal rights any party may have outside the platform.

17. Non-Cooperation and Closure of Dormant Cases

If a reporting party or material witness fails to provide requested information, documents or cooperation within a reasonable period, ShipSherpa may close the case on the evidence then available.

Where no meaningful response is received for 14 working days after a reasonable information request, ShipSherpa may treat the matter as dormant and close it administratively, subject to any mandatory legal retention or insurer requirements.

18. VAT and Accounting Treatment

Claims payments, goodwill credits, charge reversals and compensatory settlements may differ in VAT treatment depending on their legal basis.

Each customer, enterprise user, driver and fleet partner remains responsible for its own accounting and tax treatment unless a written contract expressly states otherwise.

19. Relationship with Enterprise Terms and Insurance Structures

This Framework applies by default across all service layers, including collections, same-day delivery, trunking, linehaul, ecommerce, retail, marketplace, logistics provider, API and B2B enterprise use.

Where a bespoke enterprise SLA, insurance-backed process, master services agreement or separately agreed claims schedule expressly displaces this Framework, the negotiated arrangement shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.

20. Governing Objective

This Framework exists to support a fair, evidence-based and operationally credible way of handling disputes and loss events across a live logistics marketplace.

It is intended to preserve:

  • customer confidence
  • fair investigation standards
  • defensible insurer referrals
  • proper evidence handling
  • operational accountability
  • route payout integrity
  • trust in the wider ShipSherpa network

Those objectives are fundamental to ShipSherpa's platform model.